Team will track such cases, guide parents on dealing with kids; reach out to paediatricians, too, and sensitise them about addressing them
Specialists say the pandemic is not only affecting children mentally, but also bringing about behavioural changes in the process. Representation pic
With a lot of uncertainty prevailing around the pandemic, the state’s paediatric task force is of the opinion that psychological stress created by the news related to death and disease and also the absence of a social life were mentally affecting children, bringing about behavioural changes. The task force has chalked out a plan to track such cases of mental trauma among kids, which are either going unnoticed or families don’t know how to deal with them, and provide them with the assistance needed to address the problems.
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Psychological problems
Dr Suhas Prabhu, paediatrician and chairperson of the state paediatric task force, said unlike adults, the manifestation of psychological problems in children is different and hence it is important for people to be aware of it for early detection. The task force would also reach out to paediatricians across all cities in the state to sensitise them on how to identify and address such cases in the right way.
“We have a separate module in the training programme that will guide doctors in identifying and referring children with psychological problems. We have listed the kind of symptoms children usually have in such cases,” said Dr Prabhu. Some of the symptoms of psychological problems in children are losing a lot of weight, gaining weight, indulging in self-harm and withdrawing from a lot of activities.
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“We will have webinars for NGOs, school teachers, village sarpanches and anganwadis, who will be informed about the psychological aspects apart from homecare in order to deal with children facing mental issues,” he said. One such webinar will be held next Sunday.
Dealing with death
He further said that not being able to attend school was a prime reason behind the rise in psychological problems in children. “While the government cannot open schools because of the possible spread of the virus, it has become difficult for parents to keep their children at home, he said.
“Also, many children have lost their parents, grandparents and family members in the pandemic. It is difficult for kids to come to terms with death. We should be very careful while talking about it in front of them,” said Dr Prabhu.
Speaking to mid-day, Dr Shaunak Ajinkya, psychiatrist, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, said, “Anxiety, depression and other psychological problems are represented differently in adults and children. Children in depression can have temper tantrums, bed- wetting, regressive behaviour, withdrawal symptoms and over-sensitiveness. They can also have difficulty walking, while it might just be a psychological problem.”
He said that compared to the first wave, the second one was seeing more psychological problems among children. “May be because of the uncertainty. This situation is just not normalising. Children can’t be kept home for so long. It is a lot of mental stress for them. Being home for this long is something abnormal,” he added.
‘Interaction is important’
Dr Samir Dalwai, developmental behavioural pediatrician and member of the state paediatric task force, said parents needed to engage with the child more fruitfully for better mental health amidst the pandemic. “Spend time interacting with the child. Listen patiently and avoid offering instant solutions. Display affection readily,” said Dr Dalwai. He also said, “Involve the child in your daily chores and appreciate their work. Connect them with family members and friends. Do not focus on academics.”
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